Railway-track structure.



JOHN O. LRICH, OF TAMAQUA, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY-TRACK STRUCTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Fatented March 24, 1908.

Application filed .Tune 21, 1907. Serial No. 380,139.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN O. ULRICH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tamaqua, in the county of Schuylkill and State of `Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railway-Track Structures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in railway track structures comprehendin g particularly a structure in which the rails with their connections are formed as a whole in an integral piece in the form of a bed section or plate carrying and connecting the rails, whereby strength and solidity of construction is secured. and all liability of accidents from spreading and relative displacements of the rails prevented,

The invention consists in a track structure of this character embodying the novel features hereinafter fully described. and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a section of a track constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

In carrying my invention into practice, the track structure is composed of bed sections or plates 1, which may be of any desired length, and are arranged to abut at their ends, as shown in Fig. 1, in which two of the bed sections or plates are disclosed. The respective bed sections or plates are straight or curved as circumstances may require in the construction. of the track, and the body portion 2 of each bed section, which is in the form of a liat plate, is preferably provided with openings 3 to lighten the plate to the desired degree.

The plates composing the track structure may rest upon the surface of the ground or upon a supporting base of ties or sills or of masonry, as preferred, and the under surface of said bed sections may be 'flat or of any other desired form to adapt it to maintain a 'firm position. The rails 4l are integral with the plate or bed section and may be of any desired size or gage, and if desired the plate may extend outwardly from the rail in the form of lateral flanges or extensions 5 provided with holes or openings 6 of any preferred form for the passage of fastening means to secure the same to a foundation bed or ties, if such is used.

Provision is made for securely connecting the abutting ends of the bed sections 1, and in the present embodiment comprises a coupling or junction plate 6 adapted to bridge across the abutting ends of the bed sections and providing downwardly projecting tongues or flanges 7 to fit within transverse slots or openings 8 in the bed sections, thus'locking them together against relative endwise or sidewise movement. In the junction plate are also formed rows of. openings 9 for the passage of bolts 10, which project through a similar series of openings 1,1 in the end of each bed section and are provided with securing nuts 12, such bolts operating to prevent disconnection of the junction plate from the vibration produced by the passage of the rolling stock or possible displacement of said plate from other causes.

It will be observed from the foregoing description, that each bed section or portion of the track structure is composed of a single piece of material, in Iwhich the rails and other connections and the bed of the trackway are formed as a single piece in an integral structure, which, in actual practice, is composed of a solid piece of steel rolled into shape. The track sections are of sufficient weight to maintain their proper relative posiltion against the Weight and 'pressure of the wheels of the rolling stock when supported upon a firm foundation, but of course a substructure or foundation sup ort of any preferred character to which t e bed sections are secured may be employed and Will be found of advantage in building the track upon shifting or unsecure ground.

The Aadvantages of the peculiar type of track structure made in accordance with my invention in preventing accidents caused by the spreading or relative displacement of the rails will be appreciated.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a track structure, a track section com risinO' a bed late havino1 rails integral i3 D O therewith, said plate having end portions coextensive in width therewith and extending transversely flush with the rail ends to abut against the corresponding ends of cooperating plates.

2. In a track structure, a bed plate having rails integral therewith and provided with straight transverse ends flush with the ends of the rails to abut against the corresponding ends of cooperating plates, said plate being further provided with longitudinal attaching flanges projecting laterally beyond and coextensive in length with the rails.

3. In a track structure, track sections comprising bed plates carrying integral rails, said plates being provided with abutting ends coeXtensive in width therewith, a junction plate bridging across the joint between the abutting ends and having an interlooked 10 engagement with the ends of the bed-plates between the rails, and means for securing the said junction plate to the bed plates against displacement.

In testimony whereofI l affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN O. ULRICH.

vWitnesses: i

SAMUEL R. BEARD,v FRANCIS O. ULRICH. 

